


The Complete Tale of Lions,Badgers,Eagles,and Snakes

by MrToddWilkins



Series: A Tale of Lions,Badgers,Eagles,and Snakes [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Albus Dumbledore Lives, Benjy Fenwick Lives, Book 1: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Book 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Book 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Book 6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Boromir Lives, Caradoc Dearborn Lives, Cedric Diggory Lives, Charity Burbage Lives, Colin Creevey Lives, Death Eater Bashing, Expanded Middle Earth, F/M, Fabian Prewett Lives, Fellowship of the Ring, Female Rowan Khanna, First War with Voldemort, Fred Weasley Lives, Friend Fiction, Gen, Gideon Prewett Lives, Good Peter Pettigrew, Good Regulus Black, Good Severus Snape, Good Slytherins, Gryffindor Common Room, Halbarad lives, Harry Potter Next Generation, Harry’s Childhood, Hogwarts, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Hogwarts Express, Hogwarts House Sorting Ceremony, James Potter Lives, Lavender Brown Lives, Lily Evans Potter Lives, Long, Magical Dudley Dursley Analogue, Marauders’ Fifth Year, Marauders’ First Year, Marauders’ Fourth Year, Marauders’ Second Year, Marauders’ Seventh Year, Marauders’ Sixth Year, Marauders’ Third Year, Marlene McKinnon Lives, Mentor Filius Flitwick, Middle Earth, Modern Girl in Middle Earth, Nice Cormac McLaggen, Nice Severus Snape, No Dumbledore Bashing, No Order Bashing, No Weasley Bashing, Nymphadora Tonks Lives, Platform 9 3/4, Please Don't Kill Me, Post-Hogwarts, Pureblood Culture, Pureblood Severus Snape, Pureblood Society, Quidditch, Quirinus Quirrell Lives, Regulus Black Lives, Remus Lupin Lives, Return of the King, Rolf Scamander? pfft can’t hear you over the sexy voice of Robert Scamander, Severus Snape Lives, Sirius Black Lives, Ted Tonks Lives, The Hobbit - Freeform, The Two Towers, Theoden Lives, Thorin and Kili Live, Vincent Crabbe Lives, Voldemort Bashing, Worldbuilding, a little Ministry bashing, both in the Marauders’ era and Harry’s, each school has two Triwizard champions, no hermione bashing, not a lot, so unless you’re on the dark side I won’t bash you, tag talk time, theodred lives
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-05
Updated: 2019-04-17
Packaged: 2019-05-18 09:17:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 18,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14850024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrToddWilkins/pseuds/MrToddWilkins
Summary: ATLBES, the ‘all-in-one’ version





	1. Premise

I began writing the works of this series in 2015. That April,a friend and I had a mental exercise as to 'what if James and Lily Potter had lived'. This is the result of that.

This series is inspired by AidanChase's Everybody Lives AU and Animegirl300's putative Lionheart series, and I owe my inspiration to both of these wonderful authors. It involves five narrative arcs. The first involves the Marauders Era. The second is the first war against Voldemort. The third is Harry's childhood. The fourth is Harry's time at Hogwarts. And the fifth and final arc is the next generation. The story titles will be listed in the overall series description.

This series is also being posted on AO3 and Alternate History,but this is the definitive edition. There will be worldbuilding,and the effects of PODs (Points of Divergence) will be explored.

By arc,the PODs are:

Arc 1

Snape and the Marauders are in more of a 'friendly rivalry'

Arc 2

Regulus,Peter,and Severus pretend to become Death Eaters:they are really double agents,spying on the DEs for the Order of the Phoenix

Regulus doesn't die at the Horcrux cave

Fabian and Gideon Prewett successfully evade the Death Eaters sent to kill them

In a similar vein,Caradoc Dearborn and Marlene McKinnon don't die. They get married after the war.

Benjy Fenwick also lives

When Voldemort comes to Godric's Hollow, Peter AKs him while James duels with some Death Eaters. Thus,James and Lily live in addition to Harry. Peter loses some of his magic,and Harry is still marked by Voldemort.

At the same time,Aurors rescue Frank and Alice Longbottom just as they are starting to be Crucioed. Rastaban and Rodolphus are killed, Bellatrix and Barty Jr still go to Azkaban.

Arc 3

Sirius marries Amelia Bones

Harry has the childhood he deserved

Arc 4

Theodore Nott gets sorted into Ravenclaw

Only the 'Voldemort half' of Quirrell dies

Ginny is less affected by the diary:for example,she doesn’t kill Hagrid’s chickens

Penelope Clearwater does not get Petrified

Dumbledore modifies Ron's Memory Charm, erasing only Lockhart's memories of the 1992-1993 school year

The 'Prisoner of Azkaban' is an OC cousin of Sirius and Regulus

During the time travel to stop Buckbeak's execution, Remus has Macnair sent through the Veil

Somewhat different Quidditch World Cup (haven't thought of the differences yet)

The Quidditch Cup isn't held due to the TwT, but Quidditch is still played

Cedric doesn't die at Little Hangleton, but Barty Jr does

Umbridge is more successfully quashed

Benjy Fenwick is pushed through the Veil instead of Sirius. The Carrow twins are also pushed through the Veil,after which Sirius destroys it with Fiendfyre.

Lee Jordan ends up being cursed by the necklace instead of Katie

Dumbledore's Army is reformed one year early

Grindelwald shows up at Hogwarts searching for the Elder Wand. Snape kills him instead of Dumbledore.

Battle of Nine Potters. Dedalus Diggle is killed instead of Moody.

There’s no such thing as a Taboo curse 

Regulus is captured in the Trio's place. The Trio successfully rescues him from Malfoy Manor,but Dobby isn't killed (but which see)

Fred,Lupin,Tonks,and many others survive the Battle of Hogwarts,but Moody and Dobby are killed

Arc 5

All of the Trio go back to Hogwarts for their eighth year

Different names for some of the next generation

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another POD:Nagini is not a horcrux


	2. Biographical sketches

MARAUDERS

Remus Lupin: - First Marauder to be born (November 16,1959)

\- Son of Edmure Lupin and Hope (Edgecombe) Lupin

\- Lives at 84 Northampton Street, Rosebury

\- Attacked by a werewolf in April 1966

\- Received his Hogwarts letter on June 27,1971

\- 5'5, 110 lbs: brown hair and eyes

Peter Pettigrew: born on January 8,1960

\- Son of Landon and Cara (Roberts) Pettigrew

\- Lives at 36 Redmond Way, Ely

\- Received his Hogwarts letter on July 10,1971

\- 5'2, 120 lbs: brown hair and blue eyes

James Potter: born on March 26,1960

\- Son of Charlus and Dorothea (Strahan) Potter

\- Lives at Standecombe Hill, Godric’s Hollow

\- Received his Hogwarts letter on July 10,1971

\- 5'7, 114 lbs: brown hair and hazel eyes

Sirius Black: born on April 17,1960

\- Son of Orion and Walburga (Flint) Black

\- Lives at 12 Grimmauld Place, Hackney

\- Received his Hogwarts letter on July 3,1971

\- 5'6, 105 lbs:brown hair and eyes

OTHERS

Lily Evans: born on February 3,1960

\- Daughter of Thomas Evans and Juliette (Arkwright) Evans

\- Lives at 86 Redford Drive, Hackney

\- Received her Hogwarts letter on July 15,1971

\- 5'5, 122 lbs: red hair and blue eyes

Regulus Black: born on March 24,1961

(next 2 same as Sirius Black)

\- Will receive his Hogwarts letter on May 1,1972

\- 5'8, 140 lbs:brown hair and hazel eyes

Severus Snape: born on October 7,1959

\- Son of Timothy Snape and Eileen (Prince) Snape

\- Lives at 8 Spinner's End Court, Amersham

\- Received his Hogwarts letter on June 21,1971

\- 5'7, 102 lbs:black hair and blue eyes

Marlene McKinnon: born on December 25,1959

\- Daughter of Daniel McKinnon and Luanne (Farley) McKinnon

\- Lives at McKinnon Manor, Sheffield

\- Received her Hogwarts letter on July 20,1971

\- 5'2, 105 lbs:blonde hair and brown eyes


	3. Hogwarts staff in 1971

Top three positions

Headmaster-Albus Dumbledore

Deputy Headmistress-Minerva McGonagall

Alternate Headmaster-Horace Slughorn

Teachers

Core classes

Astronomy-Kieran Vane

Charms-Tomas Hilliard/Filius Flitwick

Defense Against the Dark Arts-Elfstan Wood

Flying-Georgina Erine/Rolanda Hooch

-Quidditch referees:Mark Goldstein, Kennilworthy Whisp

Herbology-Mathis Dunbar/Pomona Sprout

History of Magic-Cuthbert Binns

Potions-Horace Slughorn

Transfiguration-Minerva McGonagall

Electives

Study of Ancient Runes-Bathsheba Babbling

Arithmancy-Kennilworthy Whisp

Muggle Studies-Edwin Jordan

Care of Magical Creatures-Silvanus Kettleburn

Divination-Ramsay Switch

Apparition (Sixth and seventh years, optional)-Alastor Moody

Alchemy (Sixth and seventh years, optional)-Horace Slughorn

Ancient Studies-Bathilda Bagshot

Extra-curricular

Art-Jon Patridge

Muggle Art-Alastor Moody (when required)

Music-Gerold Blishwick

Muggle Music-Jessamine Shacklebolt

Magical Theory-Steffon Travers

Frog Choir-Rolanda Hooch

Hogwarts orchestra-Anthony Brown

Other staff

Cleaning-Argus Filch

House Heads

Gryffindor-Minerva McGonagall

Hufflepuff-Charles Brown

Ravenclaw-Georgina Erine

Slytherin-Horace Slughorn

Governors

Armando Dippet

Aberforth Dumbledore

Richard Strahan

Edmund Trelawney

William Goldstein

 

 


	4. June 27,1971, Rosebury

As he usually liked to do,Remus lay in the grass near his family's house. It was where he felt safest,his sanctuary from all the troubles the world offered. And many troubles did the world offer. It wasn't easy being a werewolf.

He didn't remember the attack itself:he supposed that was a mercy. He did remember waking up in a protective ward at St.Mungo's Hospital,with an intravenous potion dispenser in his arm. The lights were shining on him,and he felt uncomfortable. Outside,a therapist was telling his parents about his condition.

"Fortunately,acquired lycanthropy can be easier dealt with than lycanthropy-by-birth. Your son will need a safe room to hide in during the full moon......"

Since then,life hadn’t been as bright as it had been before the attack. Every other year saw the Lupins moving from one Muggle town to another,usually when people started asking questions about why Remus was so antsy.

Remus wasn’t the first werewolf his father had dealt with during his career, but he was the first in his family. Oh,there’d been a Lupin werewolf back in the 1740s who’d killed a German duke with his bare hands. But that had been it,until now.

Since then,the development of Wolfsbane potion had taken much importance in his father’s life. Hopefully someday,in a few years if the Ministry’s researches were true,it would result in a cure for lycanthropy. Until then,all Edmure and Hope Lupin could do was......hope.

————

Now,six years later,Remus was enjoying himself when....

"Remus! Daddy's got a letter for you!"

Remus ran into the house,passing his mom who was trying to de-charm one of the guardian gnomes. Inside the living room,which had a creamy gold color scheme,his father was holding a small form letter. The envelope read:

Master Remus Lupin

The First Floor Bedroom

84 Northampton Street, Rosebury, Wiltshire

The letter itself read:

Dear Mr.Lupin

It is my honor to inform you that you have been accepted as a first-year student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We await your owl no later than the end of July.

Albus Dumbledore,Headmaster

Minerva McGonagall,Deputy Headmistress

Horace Slughorn,Alternate Headmaster

Attached was the following list:

First-year students will require:

Uniform

Three Sets of Plain Work Robes (Black)

One Pair of Protective Gloves (dragon hide or similar)

One Winter Cloak (Black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all student's clothes should carry name-tags at all times

Books

The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic (1968 edition) by Bathilda Bagshot

Hogwarts:A History (1969 edition), by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

Transfiguration 101 by Jolyssa Miller

Magical Plants and Animals:A Primer by Theon Dunbar

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (1963 edition), by Newt Scamander and Raymond Goldstein

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentyn Trimble

How to Protect Against Dark Magic (both beginner volumes), by Niall Queensbury

Other Equipment

A wand (preferably Ollivander)

1 Cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set of glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set of brass scales

Students may also bring a pet of their choice,provided that they can control any danger it might provide to others

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS,UNLESS THEY ARE FROM A NOBLE HOUSE

Remus couldn't believe it. At long last,he was going to Hogwarts!

———

"So what's it like at Hogwarts,Dad?”

"It's wonderful. The classes concern almost every type of magic under the Sun. The Quidditch teams are superb,the best non-professional teams in Britain. The Frog Choir is always looking for new singers.

The magic you'll learn at Hogwarts is of many different types. There's Charms,where you'll learn to make things different with spells. There's Defense Against the Dark Arts,where you'll learn how to defend yourself from Dark wizards and evil creatures. The Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures teachers will teach you about magical plants and animals. In Flying class,you'll learn how to ride a broom:important if you ever decide to play Quidditch. In Potions class,you'll learn how to brew and use potions for all kinds of things. In Transfiguration,you'll learn how to make one object into another-"

"Like with Polyjuice potion!"

"Kind of,but that involves changing people. In History of Magic,you'll learn the history of Wizarding communities the world over and how they interact with each other and Muggles. And in Astronomy,you'll track the stars and planets as they move around the sky. And that's just the core classes.

Beginning in third year,you'll get to choose some more classes. Care of Magical Creatures I've already mentioned. Arithmancy involves the use of numbers in magic:it's also where most spell-crafters learn the tricks of their trade. Muggles call it numerology. In Divination, you'll learn how to predict the future. And in Muggle Studies,you'll be studying how Muggles live and what they do.

Classes aren't the only things to do at Hogwarts. There's Quidditch:you already know what that is. There are many clubs,like the Astronomy club,the Chocolate Frog club,and the dance club. There's an excellent football team run by the Hufflepuffs. And in December,there's the Christmas dance. It's the Yule ball when you're a fourth year or higher,but the first through third years get the Christmas formal. And in third year,you'll get to go on your first Hogsmeade trip. Those are the best trips ever,except when we'll go to Diagon Alley to get your school supplies.

As for houses,your mother was a Gryffindor and I was a Ravenclaw. I think you'd fit well in either. Gryffindor's the house where brave people go,people with courage. Their color is red and their animal is the lion. The traits of Hufflepuff are dedication and loyalty:'nice' kids go there. Their colors are gold and black and their animal is the badger. The traits of Ravenclaw are intelligence and wisdom:the 'geniuses' go there. Their color is blue and their mascot is the eagle. Finally,we have Slytherin,which values cunning and resourcefulness:most pureblooded kids go there. Their colors are green and silver and their mascot is the snake. For common rooms and dorms,the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws are in towers,the Hufflepuffs in the basement,and the Slytherins in the dungeons......"

Two hours later,both of them were asleep,Edmure in his chair and Remus on the carpet.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Christmas formal is my invention, because I don’t think that one school dance in 6 years is realistic. Of course,YMMV.
> 
> Also,when we get to Hogwarts,Professor Kettleburn is going to repeat some of the part of Edmure’s lecture regarding the houses of Hogwarts. Just putting that out there.


	5. July 3,1971, 12 Grimmauld Place

The day Sirius Black got his own Hogwarts letter began as days usually began for Sirius. He rose with the Sun,washed,dressed,and made his way to the dining room. The room looked out on the London streets through a charmed window. Today,it was bright and sunny. A few clouds were in the northern sky.

As usual,Kreacher showed up with their breakfasts at 8:00 am on the dot. Sirius dug into his flapjacks like there was no tomorrow,and Orion did the same with his fried eggs. Afterwards,they cleaned up and went to do their separate things. Orion would read in the family library,Walburga would compose neat,correct letters to other pureblood ladies in the solar,Kreacher would get things ready for luncheon,and Regulus would read up on the history of magic.

The first place Sirius went was the conservatory at the back of the house. It had magical and non-magical plants from all over the world. Sirius liked tending the orange trees because they smelled very good, like toothpaste or Fluxweed stems. The oranges themselves came from a supplier in Texas,the best in the business. Mr.Audendried was universally understood to be one of the best magical plant suppliers there was, and he’d been supplying the Black family since 1934.

Sirius spent an hour tending to the orange trees,then a few minutes on the periwinkle blossoms at the far end of the conservatory. He tended them utilizing bundimun-skin gloves and enchanted trowels. When he was done,he went to his room to read Potions for Beginners, the 1958 edition, by Conrad Lufkin.

11:00 am

"Sirius! Imry just came back from his morning meal! And he's got a letter for you!"

Imry was the Black family's pet owl,a barn owl with off-white feathers. He always knew to come back to 12 Grimmauld Place after sending or receiving mail.

Sirius went to the sitting room,where Imry waited in the window. He had a letter in his beak. Sirius' heart jumped when he saw the crest on the envelope.

Hogwarts!

The envelope read:

Master Sirius Black

The Bedroom With The Muggle Electric Fan

12 Grimmauld Place, Hackney, London

And the letter read:

Dear Mr.Black,

You have been selected to be a first-year student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We await your owl no later than the 15th of next,

Sincerely,

Horace Slughorn

Alternate Headmaster

Attached was a list that read:

First-year students will require:

Uniform

Three Sets of Plain Work Robes (Black)

One Pair of Protective Gloves (dragon hide or similar)

One Winter Cloak (Black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all student's clothes should carry name-tags at all times

Books

The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic (1968 edition) by Bathilda Bagshot

Hogwarts:A History (1969 edition), by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

Transfiguration 101 by Jolyssa Miller

Magical Plants and Animals:A Primer by Theon Dunbar

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (1963 edition), by Newt Scamander and Raymond Goldstein

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentyn Trimble

How to Protect Against Dark Magic (both beginner volumes), by Niall Queensbury

Other Equipment

A wand (preferably Ollivander)

1 Cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set of glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set of brass scales

Students may also bring a pet of their choice,provided that they can control any danger it might provide to others

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS,UNLESS THEY ARE FROM A NOBLE HOUSE

Sirius couldn't believe it. He was going to Hogwarts!

"Mum! Dad! Reggie! Kreacher! I'm going to Hogwarts!"

 

——————-

  
7:30 pm

After supper,as was his tradition,Orion retired to the drawing room. The room was outfitted in the style popular during Archer Evermonde's term as Minister for Magic,with flutéd ceiling pipes,busts of past Heads of House Black,and paintings done in the Charteris style depicting House sigils. Bookshelves lined the long walls,decorated with greenweed from the Ethiopian steppes and filled with books on all sorts of Wizarding subjects. At the farther end was a door that was magicked to lead up to the house's highest story. Orion was reading through a letter from Christoph Pucey when the door opened to admit Walburga.

She looked mad,with a face as red as a tomato. She walked with a stumbling gait such as Orion had never seen her use before. With a 'humph' she settled into the chair opposite Orion.

"My dear Walburga,whatever is the matter?"

"It's our son. He is as wilful as you must have been at that age! We're at war,and he dares to defend the Mudbloods!"

"Everybody needs defending at some point or other. And we're not at war yet,no matter what arseholes like Carrow,Thicknesse,Yaxley,and Burke say."

"Not Blood Traitors! Did you know that he wants to be a Gryffindor? Gryffindor! With all the other blood traitors and Mudbloods,I shouldn’t wonder! “

"More power to him. We can't all be Slytherins."

At that,Walburga rose spluttering.

"Are you listening to yourself? I sent him to his room without supper,but then he sidestepped me and had Kreacher deliver it to him! The nerve of that elf!"

Orion decided to summon said elf. "Kreacher!"

A crack like a whip,and the elf appeared on the mantel. "Yes,Master Orion? How may this unworthiest of elves serve you?"

"Get a Dutch ale for Mistress Walburga,and make it snappy. And stop calling yourself unworthy."

Another crack,and Kreacher disappeared.

"Dear Walburga,what's wrong with Sirius being a Gryffindor? At least he'll get exposed to more world views than the bloodist pap you've been feeding him and Reggie. I've always meant to have a talk with you about that."

She slapped him across the jaw,almost breaking it. "Orion Michele Black! How dare you agree with your Blood Traitor of a son,when you ought to disown him for his foolishness! You crybabies calling us racist,people like you are why Lord Voldemort is rising to power! Mudbloods are nothing but a taint on our society. At least we have people like him now,who will set things to rights. And what of Regulus? Will he want to be a Gryffindor too?”

"You would support that bloodist tosspot? Do you know what him and his followers plan to do once they gain control of Magical Britain? We're meant to be an equal society,yet people like you keep setting us back! And do you forget that Dougal Flint,your own great-grandfather,was a Muggleborn? As for Regulus,being a Gryffindor might do him some good too.”

Walburga might've slapped him again,had Kreacher not chosen that moment to come back bearing a tumbler of Netherlands Best ale.

"Anyway,tomorrow morning,I'm going to have a talk with our sons encouraging them to renounce your worldview. And you will not be permitted to accompany Sirius and myself to Diagon Alley when we go to get his school supplies,nor will you be permitted to accompany him and myself to Platform Nine and Three Quarters when it comes time for him to depart for Hogwarts. Now leave me,before I get Kreacher to summon an Auror for domestic violence."

Walburga turned on her heel and stormed out of the drawing room,but she stopped at the door.

"You'll rue this day,Orion Michele Black! Don't think I don't mean it!"

With that,she left the room. Orion wondered on how to handle things. Hopefully she'd be more rational in the future. Next year it would be Regulus boarding the Hogwarts Express. But this coming September it would be Sirius. Sirius,his golden boy,who had always been attentive,polite,and smart. Regulus had always been more like Walburga,but his opinions seemed almost as tolerant as Sirius's, or Orion's own for that matter.

He would sleep on it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One thing I’m trying to establish is that here Orion Black is more tolerant than canon. It isn’t terribly hard to do,especially when you contrast him with blatant bloodists like Walburga. Walburga’s ‘people like you are why Voldemort has supporters’ is an echo of today’s ‘PC librulz like you are why Trump got elected’ statements.
> 
> To get some minor things out of the way,Archer Evermonde was Minister for Magic from 1912 to 1923,so during WWI. The Wizarding communities of the world weren’t actively involved in the war. I have him living from 1877 to 1964,so he’s dead by this point. He was one of the seven or eight Hufflepuffs to become Minister.
> 
> ‘Charteris style’ refers to Endrew Charteris (1574-1762), who was the first headmaster of the Wizarding Academy for the Dramatic Arts (1637-1688). It’s a vaguely Art Deco style,as much as that was possible in the early 17th century.
> 
> Dougal Flint (1829-1948):an OC ancestor of Walburga’s. I don’t do Blackcest,no matter how canonical it is.
> 
> Things I take as canon
> 
> Books (Harry Potter)
> 
> Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone/Sorcerer’s Stone
> 
> Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
> 
> Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
> 
> Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
> 
> Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
> 
> Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
> 
> Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
> 
> Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (to an extent)
> 
> Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
> 
> Quidditch through the Ages
> 
> The Tales of Beedle the Bard
> 
> Movies (Harry Potter)
> 
> Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
> 
> Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
> 
> Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
> 
> Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
> 
> Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
> 
> Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
> 
> Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (both:to an extent)
> 
> Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them + sequels
> 
> Video games (Harry Potter)
> 
> All of them except for the LEGO Harry Potter games
> 
> Fanfiction (Harry Potter)
> 
> Dumbledore’s Army and the Year of Darkness (to an extent)
> 
> Books (Tolkien)
> 
> Silmarillion
> 
> Hobbit
> 
> Fellowship of the Ring
> 
> Two Towers
> 
> Return of the King
> 
> Unfinished Tales
> 
> Video games (Tolkien)
> 
> Battle for Middle Earth (1,2,Rise of the Witch King)
> 
> Lord of The Rings Online
> 
> The Pucey family is a Pureblood family headquartered in Bradford. We actually do meet one of them in canon:Adrian Pucey,who attended Hogwarts from 1988 to 1995 and was a Chaser for the Slytherin Quidditch team. Christoph Pucey is his uncle.


	6. July 4,1971, 12 Grimmauld Place

The next morning,Orion woke earlier than usual. He summoned Kreacher,and drank a gin while he waited for the elf.

"Bring Master Sirius and young Master Regulus to me"

"Yes,sir"

Soon afterwards,the door opened and Kreacher came in,escorting two young boys. Sirius was the older of the two. He had chin-length brown hair and the Flint eyes,blue speckled with grey. His smile was unassuming,but Orion knew that at his tender age it already spoke of hidden depths. Like his Greengrass relatives. He will go far in life.

Just don't let Walburga's bloodist views rub off on him.........

Regulus had inherited more of the Black features:blonde hair,brown eyes,a sharp chin. His own look was indifferent,the same look Orion had affected in his own younger days. More of a Johnson,or Macmillan,than a Black. Malcolm Johnson may be a fifth year this September,but when he's a sixth year Regulus will rub off on him.

Orion watched as his sons took seats on the floor.

"Boys,do you know why I summoned you?"

Both of them answered in the negative.

"Last night,your mother and I had an argument. The origins of that argument stem from many things.

You may remember that earlier this century,in 1909,a Finnish wizard by the name of Gellert Grindelwald emerged in Slovakia. He talked of many things,but above all he was a pureblood supremacist.

The society Grindelwald espoused was built like this:

1\. Greatest Pureblood families (Black,Avery,Greengrass,Selwyn,MacDonald,MacDougal,Malfoy)

2\. Pureblood families of major degree (Abbott,Bones,Potter,Longbottom,Brown,Flint,Turpin,Diggory,Parkinson,Spungen,Nott,Rosier,Slughorn,Vaisey,Ollivander,Bulstrode)

3\. Pureblood families of middle degree (Weasley,Sinistra,Vector,Wood,Dumbledore,Edgecombe,Corner,Yaxley,Shacklebolt,Runcorn,Crouch,Macmillan,Prewett,Carrow,Strahan,Davis,McKinnon,Rowle)

4\. Mixed-blood families of middle and minor degrees (Bell,Lovegood,Cornfoot,Spinnet,Johnson,Thomas,Pucey,Crabbe,Goyle,Rookwood,Thicknesse,Farley,Vane,Robins,Midgen,Cattermole,Davies,Montague,Fudge,Scrimgeour)

5\. Foreign families (Finnigan,Marchbanks,Patil,Chang,Zabini,Li,Delacour,Catone,Clynes)

6\. All other halfbloods

7\. All Muggleborns

8\. Beings

9\. Creatures

10\. Beasts

11\. Muggles

That order didn't work out,and for good reason. It isn't the natural order,in which all are equal. Grindelwald waged a long war. He had many come to his side. But in the end,they deserted him. Upon the field of Rodrikstadt was he defeated. His city at Nurmengard was destroyed:he himself wanders Europe,his magic bound.

Our family wasn't always like this. We used to believe in blood equality,and were campaigners for Muggleborn rights. Only recently have we had the first Muggleborn Minister for Magic. We voted for Leach,you know. And I want you to,if another Muggleborn runs for that office,vote for them, both at the booth and in the Wizengamot.

Remember Elfred the Blackheart,who founded our family. He befriended the centaur Oleg,who aided his rise to fame and fortune,and thus enabled creature rights.

Remember our motto, Toujours Pur. Always Pure. But don't let it guide every little decision you make.

And always be a friend. Whether your classmate is Pureblood,Halfblood,or Muggleborn,always be there for him or her.”

With that,Orion dismissed his sons. He hoped that when the time came,they would remember his words. If he had known how soon Sirius would make friends,and who they were,he would've smiled right then and there.

———-

  
When it was time for luncheon,Orion marched down the Grand Staircase with purpose in his stride. He held a commanding pose as he came to the table. He clapped his hands to summon Kreacher.

"And what may Kreacher do for you?"

"Get Mistress Walburga"

5 minutes later,Walburga appeared. She was the very picture of anger.

"Why have you summoned me?"

"To turn you away from the poisonous beliefs Voldemort and his followers have ingrained in you. No matter what you think,Voldemort and his followers aren't out to save our world. They preach a gospel of hatred against half-bloods and Muggleborns,who are vital parts of our world."

"Pah! I'll believe that the day I see it!"

"Do you choose to forget the term of Norbert Leach as Minister for Magic? As far as people like you are concerned,his term might not even have happened!"

"Exactly! And you're a pureblood yourself!"

"Is that necessarily supposed to dictate how I feel about other people,Walburga? Or magical creatures of all kinds who participate in our culture? No. Despite my family motto, Toujours Pur, my parents taught me to treat all people and creatures as equal,no matter their status. Voldemort would undo all that if he could. The man is daft,Walburga! He cares nothing about our culture at all! All he seeks is power for himself and his pureblood friends!”

"And how would you know?"

"Sybil Trelawney"

"That madwoman of a 'Seer' who graduated from Hogwarts just four years ago?"

"Yes. She Sees more than you know. Her great-grandmother is Cassandra Trelawney."

"That means nothing!"

"Correction. It means everything,Walburga. You bloodists try to go to war,it will end badly. And I'll leave you,get a divorce,and take the boys. Leaving you with....Bellatrix perhaps? She seems most inclined to share your views.”

"See if I care! At least Bellatrix is more of a Black than you!”

Walburga stormed out of the room. After a minute of staring after her,so did Orion.

He had work to do,and first on his list was teaching his children tolerance. Which he would do at any cost.

Even if that price is my marriage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The families in each category is just me speculating. The Marchbanks are a foreign family because they’re Irish.
> 
> We’re never really told where Grindelwald was from:Finland is as safe a bet as anywhere else.
> 
> I completely made up Rodrikstadt. There were two final battles in that war:there and Grindelwald’s last stand at Nurmengard.


	7. July 10,1971, Godric’s Hollow / Ely

The safest thing one could say about James Erik Potter was that he was not a normal boy. Of course,such a thing couldn't necessarily be expected in the wizarding world.

James was tall and skinny for his 11 years that summer,with medium length spiky brown hair and piercing hazel eyes. He was rambunctious,given to jokes,and fond of Potions puzzles like those his grandfather,the inventor of Sleekeazy hair conditioner,had invented. His room was never clean but it always smelled nice because his mother Dorothea used Sleekeazy on all the surfaces she could.

Ever since he was 3,James had been aware of his magic. He knew that someday he would go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and receive the best magical education anyone could get in Britain. He would study under the famed Albus Dumbledore,the old headmaster of Hogwarts,and learn many things of the wizarding community. But where was his letter?

————-

James was in the aviary when his father,Charlus,stuck his head in.

"Hello,James. I just got a letter. It's for you."

The letter was in the dining room,at James' usual place. He gasped when he saw the address.

James Potter

The Red Bedroom

Standecombe Hill, Godric's Hollow

James knew what the letter would contain. He ripped it open.

It read:

Dear Mr.Potter,

You have been accepted as a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We expect your owl no later than 12th August.

Sincerely,

Horace Slughorn, Alternate Headmaster

Attached was a list that read:

First-year students will require:

Uniform

Three Sets of Plain Work Robes (Black)

One Pair of Protective Gloves (dragon hide or similar)

One Winter Cloak (Black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all student's clothes should carry name-tags at all times

Books

The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic (1968 edition) by Bathilda Bagshot

Hogwarts:A History (1969 edition), by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

Transfiguration 101 by Jolyssa Miller

Magical Plants and Animals:A Primer by Theon Dunbar

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (1963 edition), by Newt Scamander and Raymond Goldstein

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentyn Trimble

How to Protect Against Dark Magic (both beginner volumes), by Niall Queensbury

Other Equipment

A wand (preferably Ollivander)

1 Cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set of glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set of brass scales

Students may also bring a pet of their choice,provided that they can control any danger it might provide to others

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS,UNLESS THEY ARE FROM A NOBLE HOUSE

 

———-

A few hours later,a very happy Potter family was having dinner. They usually dined outside,on a veranda connecting their greenhouse with the house proper. It was a warmer summer than usual,which meant that autumn and winter would also be warmer than usual.

"Dad,what was it like at Hogwarts when you were there?"

"Not much different from what you'll know,if old Dumbledore's still around (don't kid me,that man will be around forever). There'll be the Quidditch cup and the House cup:you already know about those. There'll be the classes in all sorts of magical subjects. There'll be the dances at Christmas and Easter. There'll be the House rivalries,same as always. Heh! Those Slytherins will always be ready to cause trouble,James. Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs rarely cause trouble,but we Gryffindors are known to revel in it sometimes.

You've got seven years there. Let me give you an overview of each.

First year is when you get settled into the system of being at Hogwarts. You're exceptional at Potions:all the Potters have been for hundreds of years. I think you'll also do well at Herbology:you've spent a lot of time in our greenhouses. Astronomy you might have difficulty with. I think you'll pass most of the other subjects.

Second year is like first year,only a little harder. You'll have your first practical exams. Also,you'll be eligible to try out for the Quidditch team. I hope that you'll be able to do that. Some of your ancestors were on the various Quidditch teams,you know.

Third year is where things start getting tough. You'll be able to choose some of your classes. I recommend that you take Muggle Studies. These days,Muggle technology is starting to advance so much that we wizards may need to blend in with them sometimes. In Muggle Studies,you'll learn how to do so.

Also in third year,you'll get to take your first Hogsmeade trip. If I were you,I would go to Honeydukes. They sell the best Wizarding candy around. Ambrosius won't hesitate to take new customers.

Fourth year is mostly OWL prep year. You'll be taking both theoretical and practical exams in all your classes. You'll also be eligible for leadership positions on the Quidditch team. Also,first through third years get to attend the Christmas formal:this is the first year you'll have a Yule ball. When you ask somebody,just try to be yourself. Don't let expectations dictate who you are. If I know you (and I should:I'm your father),there'll be no shortage of girls willing to go with you. Just be yourself.

Fifth year is OWL year. The tests take place over a period of two weeks. Theoretical exams for the first week,and practical exams for the second. Before them,you'll have a lot of studying to do. I'd recommend finding an older student to tutor you for the OWLs. Somebody from a good family,if possible.

Sixth year is like fourth year,but for the NEWTs. The pace will slacken off a bit because you'll only be taking classes for NEWT-level subjects. You'll be eligible for junior prefect in fifth year,regular prefect in sixth year,and senior prefect in seventh year.

Seventh year is your NEWT year. It's also your final year. For your NEWTs,I'd recommend hiring a tutor. Again,somebody from a good family,or perhaps one of the professors. Again,the tests are two weeks long,theoretical and then practical. The upshot is no classes your last week.

Now about your classes,and other activities.

The magic you'll learn at Hogwarts is of many different types. There's Charms,where you'll learn to make things different with spells. There's Defense Against the Dark Arts,where you'll learn how to defend yourself from Dark wizards and evil creatures. The Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures teachers will teach you about magical plants and animals. In Flying class,you'll learn how to ride a broom:important if you ever decide to play Quidditch. In Potions class,you'll learn how to brew and use potions for all kinds of things. In Transfiguration,you'll learn how to make one object into another-"

"Like with Polyjuice potion!"

"Kind of,but that involves changing people. In History of Magic,you'll learn the history of Wizarding communities the world over and how they interact with each other and Muggles. And in Astronomy,you'll track the stars and planets as they move around the sky. And that's just the core classes.

Beginning in third year,you'll get to choose some more classes. Care of Magical Creatures I've already mentioned. Arithmancy involves the use of numbers in magic:it's also where most spell-crafters learn the tricks of their trade. Muggles call it numerology. In Divination, you'll learn how to predict the future. And in Muggle Studies,you'll be studying how Muggles live and what they do.

Classes aren't the only things to do at Hogwarts. There's Quidditch:you already know what that is. There are many clubs,like the Astronomy club,the Chocolate Frog club,and the dance club. There's an excellent football team run by the Hufflepuffs. And in December,there's the Christmas dance. It's the Yule ball when you're a fourth year or higher,but the first through third years get the Christmas formal. And in third year,you'll get to go on your first Hogsmeade trip. Those are the best trips ever,except when we'll go to Diagon Alley to get your school supplies.

You'll be making a ton of memories at Hogwarts. I just know it. Just remember,have a good time,and BE SAFE."

That night,James couldn't fall asleep for his excitement. He was going to Hogwarts!

 

 

———

To say that Peter Pettigrew was a reader would be the epitome of understatements. Peter was an over-reader. As in,he read everything he'd been able to get his hands on since he was 3. Grocery receipts,century-old gardening manuals like those his grandparents hoarded,photo albums depicting him as a baby,Peter read everything he could find.

That wasn't to say that he felt deprived,however:oh,no. He enjoyed playing American football with the neighbor boys,the Gleasons,who lived in an old house with elderberry vines surrounding the front door. Peter's own house was small but comfortable:at least he didn't have any siblings. There was his father,who was a mystery author and had instilled the love of reading in Peter. Landon Pettigrew was tall and stocky,with a trim mustache in the Weimar Republic style and a narrow,pointed beard that spoke of a vague superiority. Peter's mother Cara was a slim,pretty woman with a jolly smile and auburn hair that Peter had inherited. She worked at a local school as a teacher’s assistant. The Pettigrews lived in comfort,in an old house with vines on the door.

 

———-

Peter was having breakfast when the owl flew into the dining room through an open window. It was a tawny owl,like those you saw in March returning from the French coast. It bore an envelope in its beak. Peter frowned at the seal because unlike the Bournemouth seal his Aunt Melinda used in her letters,it wasn’t familiar to him. It was a four-quartered shield depicting a tawny lion on red,a striped badger on gold,a bronze eagle on blue,and a silver snake on green. The envelope itself,which was from some sort of school called Hogwarts,read:

Peter Pettigrew

The Second-Story Bedroom

36 Redmond Way, Ely

The letter read:

Dear Mr.Pettigrew,

You have been accepted as a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We expect your reply no later than the 15th of August.

Sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore,Headmaster

Attached was a list that read:

First-year students will require:

Uniform

Three Sets of Plain Work Robes (Black)

One Pair of Protective Gloves (dragon hide or similar)

One Winter Cloak (Black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all student's clothes should carry name-tags at all times

Books

The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic (1968 edition) by Bathilda Bagshot

Hogwarts:A History (1969 edition), by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

Transfiguration 101 by Jolyssa Miller

Magical Plants and Animals:A Primer by Theon Dunbar

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (1963 edition), by Newt Scamander and Raymond Goldstein

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentyn Trimble

How to Protect Against Dark Magic (both beginner volumes), by Niall Queensbury

Other Equipment

A wand (preferably Ollivander)

1 Cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set of glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set of brass scales

Students may also bring a pet of their choice,provided that they can control any danger it might provide to others

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS,UNLESS THEY ARE FROM A NOBLE HOUSE

 

He decided to go get his mum. He had a feeling that she’d know how to handle this.

———-

Two hours later,Peter sat in his room,still unable to fully comprehend what his mother had just told him. She’d told him that magic was real. That wizards and witches were real.

“But I always thought wizards were from fairy tales. Like the tale of the Three Brothers or something like that.”

“Wizards are very much real,Peter. They’ve got a whole magical society right alongside ours (they call non-magical people like your father Muggles). There’s even a sort of Parliament for magical Britain:it’s called the Wizengamot. My father was a Muggle-born (which is technically what you are),my mother was of the Noble and Masterly House of Cattermole. You’ll like it at Hogwarts. I’ll tell you more when we go to Diagon Alley (the wizarding shopping center) to get your school supplies:that will be in a couple of weeks.”

”Why don’t you tell me some of it now?

”All right.

The magic you'll learn at Hogwarts is of many different types. There's Charms,where you'll learn to make things different with spells. There's Defense Against the Dark Arts,where you'll learn how to defend yourself from Dark wizards and evil creatures. The Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures teachers will teach you about magical plants and animals. In Flying class,you'll learn how to ride a broom. In Potions class,you'll learn how to brew and use potions for all kinds of things. In Transfiguration,you'll learn how to make one object into another. In History of Magic,you'll learn the history of Wizarding communities the world over and how they interact with each other and Muggles. And in Astronomy,you'll track the stars and planets as they move around the sky. And that's just the core classes.

Beginning in third year,you'll get to choose some more classes. Care of Magical Creatures I've already mentioned. Arithmancy involves the use of numbers in magic:it's also where most spell-crafters learn the tricks of their trade. Muggles call it numerology. In Divination, you'll learn how to predict the future. And in Muggle Studies,you'll be studying how Muggles live and what they do.

Classes aren't the only things to do at Hogwarts. There are many clubs,like the Astronomy club,the Chocolate Frog club,and the dance club. There's an excellent football team run by the Hufflepuffs. And in December,there's the Christmas dance. It's the Yule ball when you're a fourth year or higher,but the first through third years get the Christmas formal. And in third year,you'll get to go on your first Hogsmeade trip. Those are the best trips ever,except when we'll go to Diagon Alley to get your school supplies. Good night.”

“Good night,Mom”

With that she left the room. Peter wondered what a magical life would be like,getting to say “Abracadabra!” and actually have it do something. He couldn’t wait to find out.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I copy myself sometimes. Sue me.


	8. July 15,1971, Hackney

It was said of Lily Marie Evans that once she had her heart set on something,there was no stopping her. Those who knew her would agree with that. She had fiery red hair,bright green eyes that seemed to look right through you,a pretty turned-up nose,long (for her age) tanned legs,and a penchant for making mischief.

When she wasn't in school or at home she could be found at the Green Park duck pond feeding the ducks with penny candy,at the shops buying the penny candy (and soda),at the Aldermast Library reading about long-ago princes or how to cook Indian food,or at King's Cross Station wandering. She was friends with all the ticket passers and busboys.

Which isn't to say that she didn't have friends her own age,however. There was Cameron Jones,whose dad was Aldermast's reference librarian. There was Elyse Ranford,whose dad ran a brunch restaurant in Harpenden that catered to a wealthy crowd. There was Nick Sturbridge,who knew all the latest football news.

And there was Severus Snape. Lily had been on the brink of turning eight when she met Severus in an alleyway. An older boy with russet hair had been pestering him,but had run away for some reason when he saw Lily. Perhaps he was afraid of girls.

Severus himself was her own age,she had learned that afternoon,a tall boy with ratty black hair and a hooked nose like some fairy tale witch. She'd brought him to her own house for dinner,where he'd astonished her parents by saying 'please' and 'thank you' when he was served,unlike the boys Lily's older sister Petunia occasionally brought home after a 'date' in some dingy Bethnal Green restaurant. She still remembered how he'd marveled at her clean,toy-filled room, which wasn't like his own room in Finchley. Their friendship had blossomed like all such young friendships,and they often had playdates.

Lately,however,Severus had started growing distant. He'd received a letter from some Scottish boarding school called Hogwarts,where he'd be going come September. Lily was trying to mend their bridges,but it was a hard task. She’d been friends with him for years. How did one deal with such sudden change?

———-

Lily was reading a children's book about a rocket to Venus when the letter came. Lily thought that the book was stupid. Everybody now knew that Venus was a cloud-covered world with temperatures exceeding 700 degrees Fahrenheit. American and Soviet space probes had proved as much.

"Lily?"

"What is it,Mum?"

Juliette Evans came into the sitting room. She was a tall,stocky woman with red hair,an oval face,and teeth more appropriate to a horse than to a human. She was dressed in her usual shirt and slacks,and projected a matronly air.

"A letter has come for you. It's important,and it kind of concerns a family secret"

Lily accepted the envelope from her mother. It read:

Miss Lily Evans

The Upholstered Bedroom

86 Redford Drive, Hackney

Dear Miss Evans:

We are pleased to convey to you that you have been accepted as a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Term begins 1st September. We expect your reply no later than 5th August.

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Attached was a list that read:

First-year students will require:

Uniform

Three Sets of Plain Work Robes (Black)

One Pair of Protective Gloves (dragon hide or similar)

One Winter Cloak (Black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all student's clothes should carry name-tags at all times

Books

The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic (1968 edition) by Bathilda Bagshot

Hogwarts:A History (1969 edition), by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

Transfiguration 101 by Jolyssa Miller

Magical Plants and Animals:A Primer by Theon Dunbar

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (1963 edition), by Newt Scamander and Raymond Goldstein

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentyn Trimble

How to Protect Against Dark Magic (both beginner volumes), by Niall Queensbury

Other Equipment

A wand (preferably Ollivander)

1 Cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set of glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set of brass scales

Students may also bring a pet of their choice,provided that they can control any danger it might provide to others

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS,UNLESS THEY ARE FROM A NOBLE HOUSE

 "Hogwarts! That's where Severus is going to school in September!"

"I know,honey. And I need to tell you about your father's grandfather."

Lily tensed. Tim Evans rarely spoke of his family. Her Uncle Alexander hadn't come to Hackney since 1965. He worked and lived in Skegness,as an accountant for a rich old family named Boot.

"Your great grandfather,Gerold Evans,was a wizard. He went to Hogwarts seventy years ago and learned how to brew potions. He died when I was 8,in an accident caused when he was brewing a Scintillation Solution. Do you know that family your uncle Alexander works for,the Boots? They're wizards,and so is he. However,your father is a Squib,a magical person without the ability to use their magic.

Your father has told me about Hogwarts. He says it's wonderful. An old castle,on the edge of Cairngorms National Park. You'll be spending seven years there (except for breaks) learning how to use magic,which you have. Remember when,on your eighth birthday,you turned those blue roses red by looking at them? That's magic. There are classes in every magical subject possible. He says you'll love it at Hogwarts. Here’s what he says about the classes.

The magic you'll learn at Hogwarts is of many different types. There's Charms,where you'll learn to make things different with spells. There's Defense Against the Dark Arts,where you'll learn how to defend yourself from Dark wizards and evil creatures. The Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures teachers will teach you about magical plants and animals. In Flying class,you'll learn how to ride a broom. In Potions class,you'll learn how to brew and use potions for all kinds of things. In Transfiguration,you'll learn how to make one object into another. In History of Magic,you'll learn the history of Wizarding communities the world over and how they interact with each other and Muggles. And in Astronomy,you'll track the stars and planets as they move around the sky. And that's just the core classes.

Beginning in third year,you'll get to choose some more classes. Care of Magical Creatures I've already mentioned. Arithmancy involves the use of numbers in magic:it's also where most spell-crafters learn the tricks of their trade. Muggles call it numerology. In Divination, you'll learn how to predict the future. And in Muggle Studies,you'll be studying how Muggles live and what they do.

Classes aren't the only things to do at Hogwarts. There are many clubs,like the Astronomy club,the Chocolate Frog club,and the dance club. There's an excellent football team run by the Hufflepuffs. And in December,there's the Christmas dance. It's the Yule ball when you're a fourth year or higher,but the first through third years get the Christmas formal. And in third year,you'll get to go on your first Hogsmeade trip. Those are the best trips ever,except when we'll go to Diagon Alley to get your school supplies.”

 Lily was excited all the rest of the day. She'd be going to school with her best friend Severus. She couldn't wait!

 


	9. July 20,1971, 12 Grimmauld Place

It was the custom of Orion Black to rise at 5 am to tend to some reading before the rest of the family woke up,and today was no exception. Orion cooked breakfast for himself to let Kreacher sleep:he'd been treating the elf with more respect lately since the incident with Walburga. She'd been on the warpath ever since,and you never wanted to mess with an angry Flint. They were an old,bold family with a ton of money,and like the Blacks they protected their own.

Orion sat down and leafed through some letters:one from Alfrid Bell regarding his son Sean being nominated for seventh year Ravenclaw boy prefect,one from the Danish ministry selling him new Kometa XIV broomsticks,and one from Folco Edgecombe going on and on and on about how perfect life was working for MACUSA as a court reporter,making 8000 dragots per hour of trial,and 940 dragots per hour every other workday.

Shut up already,Folco. You make too much money as it is,Orion thought as he folded up the letter. By the time he had powered his way through a crumbling copy of The Lies of the Greeks and one of The Decline of Pagan Magic,he could hear Walburga and the boys washing up downstairs. He had a busy day ahead of him. Daniel,Luanne,and Marlene McKinnon would be coming over for lunch,and he wanted to talk to Daniel regarding some changes in the curriculum at Hogwarts.

————

At about 9 am,Orion was idly flipping through Uagadou Speaks (the 1966 edition) when he heard Walburga's voice.

"What do you want,blood traitor?"

Orion hot-footed it to the door. Standing on the step was a tall woman with an oval face and fair hair. Besides her was an equally tall boy,with long,shiny black hair and a nose like a falcon.

"Who are these people,Walburga?"

"My blood traitor of a cousin Eileen and her reprehensible son Severus. Thinking they can parade their stinking half-blood selves all over Magical Britain..."

Walburga trailed off as Orion stared at her. He then turned to Eileen and Severus.

"Miss Eileen and Master Severus,you are welcome here. Walburga,do us all a favor and go to the Hog's Head for the afternoon. I'm sure Aberforth would appreciate the company. He gets little enough as it is.”

Walburga stalked off into the sitting room. Shortly,they heard the shout of "HOGSMEADE!" and the familiar whoosh of the fire.

———

Orion had Kreacher conduct Eileen and Severus to the sitting room while he waited for the McKinnons. It wasn't a long wait. At about noon,he saw a car parking on the side street. The McKinnons walked up the broad pathway towards 12 Grimmauld Place.

The luncheon was pleasant. Kreacher served them courses of Bripwn quail with cheese omelettes, roast capon doused in elderberry sauce, and Boursin cheese on crackers for the children. Severus sat between Marlene and Sirius,who he seemed quite taken with. As they ate,Orion and Daniel talked.

"What's Marlene so excited about?"

"She got her Hogwarts letter while we were having breakfast."

"I can't say I'm surprised. Sirius was beside himself when he got his. The only problem we've got is Walburga."

"What about her?"

"She's spewing bloodist nonsense day and night. About how Lord Voldemort will restore purity laws,when likely he'd just kill people when they weren't useful to him anymore,no matter their blood status, and most of the old laws are nonsense practically nobody believes anymore,if they ever did. I never even heard of Voldemort before 1969 or so. Who is he?"

"Some upjumped Slytherin by the name of Tom Riddle."

"The same Tom Riddle who killed that Ravenclaw girl in '43?”

"Yes. He's built himself quite a club. Call themselves the Knights of Walpurgis. Go around harassing Muggleborns,preaching about (and appealing to) old families. Old Lord Fittlesworth's been taken in by their nonsense,and Harys Spungen as well. Back in April,he spent an hour of the Wizengamot's time trying to convince them to implement a Muggleborn registry and restrictions on broomstick sizes for them. It got so bad that young Aegon Bulstrode,who was the session historian,threatened him with his walking stick,and Lord Johnson and Lord Cornfoot had to physically remove him. There's a rumor that O'Liathain's fallen as well. I'd believe in a risen Jesus before I believed that. The O'Liathains are old,but not the old family type that Voldemort would take interest in. He’d take an interest in you Blacks. You’re an old family,exactly Voldemort’s type. Mark my words,he’s going to court your family’s wealth at some point,looking to use it to lure more to his service. He will soon acquire power beyond any Dark Wizard I know of. There’s even a rumor spreading through the Goblin Nation that he’s made,or is making,Horcruxes.”

At that statement,Orion felt nauseous. Horcruxes were some of the darkest artifacts any wizard could make. They were fragments of a wizard’s soul. You literally had to kill a person to make a Horcrux. If Voldemort made one or more,what else could he do? It beggared thinking.

”What can we do to stop him?”

”For now? Not much. He and his followers aren’t doing much of importance,just proselytizing about a ‘perfect,pureblood future for Wizarding Britain’. The DMLE’s keeping an eye on some of the more aggressive Knights of Walpurgis. People like Carlos Macmillan,Lysander Thickey,Hugo Spinks,Aloysius Carrow,Abraxas Malfoy....known troublemakers in the past. But since they’ve broken no laws so far,the best we can do is watch and wait.”

“What else is going on?”

”The Spinnets and Vectors are talking some sort of marriage alliance between their cadet branches,the Edgecombes are adding a new wing to their house,and my family is redoing their sigil.”

The rest of the lunch was eaten in silence. Afterwards,Orion stalked off to read about the secrets of Etruscan magic.

———-

When 4:00 pm came around,the McKinnons left. Orion and Daniel had managed to get in some talk about the Divination curriculum,but not as much as Orion would’ve liked. They had at least agreed that Alchemy should be dropped from the curriculum as soon as possible.

Later on,Eileen and Severus left for Amersham,and still later Walburga came back from the Hog’s Head. She found Orion sleeping in his favorite chair in the library,levitated him to his bed,and proceeded to blast the Prince branch off the Black family tree. The next day,when he found out,Orion proceeded to use the Anapneo spell to restore that branch,and said no more of it.

He then summoned Sirius. When Sirius arrived,he said this:

”Sirius,here’s what I have to say about school.

The magic you'll learn at Hogwarts is of many different types. There's Charms,where you'll learn to make things different with spells. There's Defense Against the Dark Arts,where you'll learn how to defend yourself from Dark wizards and evil creatures. The Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures teachers will teach you about magical plants and animals. In Flying class,you'll learn how to ride a broom:important if you ever decide to play Quidditch. In Potions class,you'll learn how to brew and use potions for all kinds of things. In Transfiguration,you'll learn how to make one object into another-"

"Like with Polyjuice potion!"

"Kind of,but that involves changing people. In History of Magic,you'll learn the history of Wizarding communities the world over and how they interact with each other and Muggles. And in Astronomy,you'll track the stars and planets as they move around the sky. And that's just the core classes.

Beginning in third year,you'll get to choose some more classes. Care of Magical Creatures I've already mentioned. Arithmancy involves the use of numbers in magic:it's also where most spell-crafters learn the tricks of their trade. Muggles call it numerology. In Divination, you'll learn how to predict the future. And in Muggle Studies,you'll be studying how Muggles live and what they do.

Classes aren't the only things to do at Hogwarts. There's Quidditch:you already know what that is. There are many clubs,like the Astronomy club,the Chocolate Frog club,and the dance club. There's an excellent football team run by the Hufflepuffs. And in December,there's the Christmas dance. It's the Yule ball when you're a fourth year or higher,but the first through third years get the Christmas formal. And in third year,you'll get to go on your first Hogsmeade trip. Those are the best trips ever,except when we'll go to Diagon Alley to get your school supplies.

Remember what I told you and Regulus earlier,and stay as safe as you can”

”Alright,Dad”

With that,he dismissed Sirius,and got back to his books.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so I’ll remember:Voldemort’s jinx on the DADA professorship holds from 1977-1978 to 1997-1998.
> 
> The Ravenclaw girl who got killed in 1943 is,of course,Moaning Myrtle.
> 
> The O’Liathains are from the Renewal universe,as are the Fittlesworths and Spungens.
> 
> Also.I’m listening to the soundtrack for the Philosopher’s Stone/Sorcerer’s Stone game,and the ‘Hogwarts Happy’ theme is stuck in my head.


	10. August 1,1971,Diagon Alley

On the morning that he was to go to Diagon Alley for the first time,James Potter awoke bright and early. It was a clear,calm day,filled with promise. 

Lukie, the Potter family’s house-elf,had cooked James a special breakfast today:blueberry pancakes,apple pie,and milk. James ate it happily,and even had seconds. Afterwards,he went to the living room to prepare for the trip.

Shortly before 8:00 am Dorothea walked into the living room,wearing a smart dress with azaleas on it. James wore a neat brown shirt,slacks,and a tie.

”Are you ready,James?”

”You bet I am,Mother”

They got into the fireplace. Dorothea gathered some powder from a can on the left side of the mantelpiece and gave some to James. At the count of five,they both shouted “DIAGON ALLEY!” as loud as they could.

————

A few moments later,when the world stopped spinning,James and Dorothea found themselves on the front porch of a pub. The sign hanging over the door proclaimed it to be the  _Leaky Cauldron._  

Dorothea smiled with approval. She said “We’re going to have breakfast here before the shops open”.

Inside,it was loud. Wizarding music played from a radio at one end of a dusty bar,behind of which was a carousel containing a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Most of the tables were occupied by groups of three or four wizards and witches. A couple of them nodded at Dorothea and James as they walked by. They got a table near the back end,by a door that led to the bathrooms.

 “Hello,Lady Potter’, said a young wizard with short blonde hair and a quick smile. “Hello to you as well,Heir Potter.”

”Do we know you?”

”I’m Tyrion Brown,Heir to the Most Noble and Elder House of Brown. I’m entering my sixth year at Hogwarts.”

”Oh!  _Those_ Browns. Well,why don’t you come and have a seat with me and my mother?”

”Very well.”

Shortly afterwards,a middle-aged waiter with long brown hair and a handlebar mustache  came up to them and asked them what they wanted for breakfast. Dorothea ordered a cheese omelet and iced tea. James ordered waffles and milk. Tyrion ordered French toast and apple cider.

”So,Tyrion,how’s life at Hogwarts?”

”It’s good,James. I got good results on my OWLs. Astronomy-A. Care of Magical Creatures-P. Charms-E. Defense Against the Dark Arts-E. History of Magic-E. Herbology-O. Muggle Studies-E. Potions-A. Transfiguration-E. My parents are very proud of me.”

“What do you want to do after you graduate?”

”To be honest,I am not sure. I should like to study deeper into History of Magic. My father says that I’ve got a natural talent for remembering things. And it’s true. I know all 14 of our house-elves by name,I know the names of all 92 portraits in our house,and I can name each Lord or Lady of my House,their lifespan,their years of Lordship or Ladyship,their accomplishments,their children,and who they were associated with in the Wizengamot. Last year,for my OWLs,I spent much of my free time reading books about the history of our world,as well as my family’s place within it.”

”What house are you in?”

”Hufflepuff. My great-great-uncle is also my house head. He used to teach Astronomy for quite a few years. He spends most of his time working on his plant care potions and tending to Madred- that’s his old owl that he’s had since 1948.”

”How long do owls usually live?”

”About 50 years,if accidents or some Muggle hunter don’t do them in first. What house do you want to be in?”

”Gryffindor,like my mum and dad.”

“That’s nice. I think you’ll make a lot of friends in Gryffindor.”

Right about then,the waiter arrived with their meals.

———-

After breakfast,Dorothea and James emerged into the Alley for the first time. It was mid-morning,and the sky was clear in all directions. The Alley was full of people who were shopping,and shops lined both sides of the cobbled road as far as the eye could see. Here it was time for Tyrion to leave them. Tyrion shook James’ hand,promised to look him up at Hogwarts,and then disappeared into the crowd.

Dorothea and James’ first stop was Eeylops Owl Emporium. The Emporium occupied a Victorian-style building with a large porch. The porch had a table upon which sat many cages,most occupied by owls. The interior of the shop had owl cages on almost every available surface.

After a while spent looking at the various owls,James was aware of a tall man with auburn hair walking towards them.

”Hello,Mr.Potter. I understand you’re looking for an owl?”

”Yes,sir.”

”You’ve come to the right place,then. I’m Trebor Jordan,co-owner.”

”Then there’s no Mr.Eeylops?”

”That’s right. The last Eeylops died in 1674. Anyways,here we are.”

The main room of the shop was filled with all sorts of owls. There were both free-range owls and caged owls of nearly every type. James walked over to a cage containing a white owl with auburn streaks on its tail feathers. Almost as soon as it saw James,the owl’s eyes assumed an expression of delight. James knew that this owl was the one he wanted to take to Hogwarts with him.

”I’ll say,Mr.Potter! This is the first time in almost ten years a student has selected an owl on their first try! What would you like to name him?”

”How about Stafford?”

Jordan laughed,and the owl hooted in delight. “He definitely seems to like it,Mr.Potter!”

—————-

With Stafford in a brand new cage,the Potters’ next stop was Madam Malkin’s Robes for all Occasions. The shop was located in Historic Alley,an offshoot of Diagon Alley that led to the Muggle shopping establishment called Carkitt Market. The tall building with its high mullioned windows looked almost like home to James. He felt happy just entering.

Behind a high oaken desk was a tall woman with plaited auburn hair who was perhaps a few years younger than Dorothea. She wore earrings embossed with the Ravenclaw eagle and an auburn cloth-of-gold robe with a magical tapestry embroidered into it depicting all sorts of summer vegetation. She stepped out from behind the desk and looked at James.

”Welcome,Heir Potter,to my humble establishment. Welcome to you as well,Lady Potter. We’ve been expecting you.”

”I am honored,ma’am.”

”Likewise. I am Heather Malkin,the newest proprietress of this shop. The shop has been in my family since 1486,not that you’d know it from my sign. I have a selection of nearly 4500 men’s robes alone,and just about as many women’s robes. Why don’t you go have a look?”

”I will,ma’am. Thanks for letting me browse.”

—————

There were many aisles of robes in the back of the shop. They were placed on silver racks that were charmed to float in the air. As James was browsing,he thought he heard voices.

”It will fit,Madam,of that I am sure”

”Now,now,Heir Malfoy,you want to look good for your prefecture,don’t you?”

 _Malfoy? Lucius Malfoy?_ Only the most richest,jerkiest Slytherin boy to walk the halls of Hogwarts,if the rumors were true? And he was to be a Prefect? If what James had heard of him was true,then Gryffindor would be in negative points by no later than the Halloween feast. He ducked under an old robe that smelled faintly of Bundimun droppings.

“Madam,I must get away. I have an appointment at Gringotts to withdraw the sum of 6,100 galleons from my account”

”Very well,then. I won’t detain you any longer”.

James emerged from behind the robe just as Lucius left,pushing the wooden door behind him.

”Now,Heir Potter,let’s get you fixed up”

————

After a few minutes of evaluating various robes,they selected a set of red and gold robes to reflect James’ hope of getting into Gryffindor. The robes came with an edgéd fur trim and integrated warmth charms. 

“Where next,sweet?”

”Ollivander’s! I really want to get a wand,mum.”

”If you insist.”

The walk to Ollivander’s was a short one. However,James quickly learned that walking in Diagon Alley was a dance. You constantly had to sidestep other people,some of whom were carrying crates,cages,or bags. James knew that fifty falls or more in a shopping day wasn’t considered unusual by the Alley’s denizens.

A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair that Dorothea sat on to wait. James felt strangely as though he had entered a very strict library; he swallowed a question that had just occurred to him and looked instead at the thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. For some reason, the back of his neck prickled. The very dust in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic.

 **“** Good morning," said a soft voice. James jumped. Dorothea must have jumped, too, because there was a loud creaking noise and she got quickly off the spindly chair.

An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.

"Hello," said James awkwardly.

"Ah yes," said the man. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. James Potter. How many years has it been?”

”Three and a half,sir. You performed a magic show for us kids at the Turpins’ Christmas ball.”

“Ah,yes,I did. A fine show,that was,and no use gainsaying it. I was sorry to hear that old Lord Matthias passed on this April. A hundred and thirty,he was. Lord of the family for 46 years,after Alekyne died. Maybe you’ll be Lord Potter for that long,or longer.”

Mr. Ollivander had come so close that he and James were almost nose to nose. James could see himself reflected in his misty grey eyes. 

 **“** Hmmm," said Mr. Ollivander, giving Dorothea a piercing look. "Well, now - Mr. Potter. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"

"Er - well, I'm right-handed," said James.

"Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured James from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr. Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand. Now let’s try you out.”

The first wand James tried was 11 inches long,elm,with a hair of a Peruvian Longhorn dragon as a core. It sent blue sparks flying prettily about the shop,and it didn’t feel right to James. The second wand was a 14 inch oak wand with a thestral hair core,but it didn’t work either.

But as with many situations,the third try proved the charm today. A 12 inch pear wand with a fairy heartstring as the core sat lightly in James’ hand,and he felt a sudden warmth in his fingers. He raised the wand above his head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls.

”Bravo!”, Ollivander cried as he clapped. “Splendid job,Mr.Potter! I think we have found you a wand!”

Dorothea too was smiling.

”What do you say we go to Flourish and Blotts,then have lunch,and go to Gringotts to finish it all off?”

James nodded.

—————


	11. August 2,1971, Hogwarts

Albus stepped into Greenhouse Five searching for his Herbology professor. He found her amid the Venomous Tentaculas, a smudge of dirt on her cheek and muttering under her breath.

"Good afternoon, Pomona," Albus said cheerily. Pomona startled.

"Oh, Headmaster, you gave me a fright."

"I do apologize. I wonder if I might have a moment of your time."

"Of course, Albus," Pomona replied as she stepped away from the plants. "What can I do for you?"

"We are to receive a very rare tree on Sunday and I would like to speak to you about it."

"A rare tree?" Pomona repeated, intrigued.

"Yes, a Whomping Willow."

Professor Sprout's eyes widened and her mouth fell open in shock. The last she had heard there were only three such trees in existence.

"Really?" she finally managed. Albus' eyes twinkled merrily.

"Indeed."

"But, what, that is to say, how, I," she trailed off and shook her head as if to clear it. She looked up at the older wizard. "Not that I don't wish to have such a prize, but why?" Truth be told, Whomping Willows were very aggressive and could be extremely dangerous. It didn't seem the thing to have at a school full of impulsive children.

"For protection on both sides. To keep someone in and the curious, out."

"I'm afraid you've lost me."

"I don't doubt that I have." He gave her a wry smile. "But I promise that all will be clear in due time, my dear. Now, however, I would like to show you the spot where the tree is to be planted and I would like you to inform me if it is satisfactory." He gestured for Pomona to precede him and she left the greenhouse, falling in step beside the Headmaster as they walked toward the Forbidden Forest.

"Right here, I should think," Albus said after a few minutes of walking. Pomona looked around. There was ample open space for the tree to grow, plenty of sunlight and it was close to the forest's edge. Whomping Willows were solitary trees for obvious reasons, but they did like to be near to their cousins.

"Yes, this should do nicely," she agreed.

"Excellent. I shall have Filius,Minerva,and Kieran start on the tunnel right away."

"Tunnel?" Pomona questioned, quite confused.

"Ah yes, I've lost you again." Albus chuckled. "At the staff meeting on Friday, all shall be revealed." He tipped his hat to her and then walked back towards the castle. Pomona watched him for a few moments, shaking her head before her thoughts returned to the newest addition to the grounds.

"A Whomping Willow. Merlin's beard."


	12. Appendix:Spells

Accio- Brings an object to you

Aguamenti- Creates a gush of water from the tip of the spell caster's wand

Alohomora- Opens locks

Aparecium- Makes invisible ink become visible

Avada Kedavra- The Unforgivable Curse; Kills your opponent; taken from "Abra Cadabra"

Avifors- Turns things into birds

Avis- Makes birds fly out of the end of your wand

Bombarda- Causes a small, locally contained explosion. To make a bigger explosion, one could use "bombarda maxima"

Colloportus- Closes a door and binds it so that it can't be opened.

Confringo- AKA the Blasting Curse; Causes the item targeted to explode

Confundus- Confounds your target, or makes them temporarily confused

Conjunctivitis- Damages the eyesight of your opponent, making them seem to have pink eye

Crucio- The Second Unforgivable Curse, the Cruciatus Curse; Tortures your opponent mercilessly

Deletrius- Erases the last spell cast by a wand so that it can't be discovered

Densaugeo- Makes teeth grow out of control

Diffindo- Makes seams split open, severs an object into two pieces

Dissendium- Opens a specific passageway into a cellar, might be useful in other instances; may be only a password

Duro- Turns an item to stone.

Enervate- Used to wake up a stunned person

Engorgio- Makes an item larger, as in swollen

Episkey- Heals relatively minor wounds.

Evanesco- Causes an item to immediately dissolve away, as if it had never existed

Expecto Patronum- Creates Patronus

Expelliarmus- Disarms the target of the spell, such as knocking their wand out of their hand

Fera Verto- Transforms animals into water goblets!

Ferula- Binds a broken limb with a splint and bandages, tightly wrapped

Fidelius- Allows a secret to be hidden within the secret keeper's soul; very powerful spell

Finite- Incantatem- Stops any spell

Flagrate- Allows the user to write or draw in the air with fire

Flipendo- Also knows as the Knockback Jinx, pushes or flips something backwards

Furnunculus- Causes a person to break out in boils

Geminio- Creates a duplicate of an item (a twin, as in the zodiacal sign Gemini).

Homorphus- Man-Shape- makes a werewolf or person disguised as an animal resume their human shape

Immobulus- Immobilizes the target

Impedimenta- Puts up an impediment that slows down something or someone that is coming toward you

Imperio- The third unforgivable curse. Allows the user to assume complete control of another person

Impervius- Repels water from a surface

Incarcerous- Conjures up ropes, which then bind an opponent

Incendio- Lights a fire

Legilimens- Allows the user to gain access to another's mind and memories

Levicorpus- Turns your opponent upside down and dangles them in thin air

Liberacorpus- "Liberates", or frees a body that has been caught up by the levicorpus spell

Locomotor- Mortis The Leg-Locker Curse; locks an opponent's legs together

Lumos- Creates light, usually by making the tip of the wand glow. More light can be created using "lumos maxima"

Mobiliarbus- Used to move a tree from one place to another

Mobilicorpus- Used to move a body from one place to another

Morsmordre- or Morsmorde- Used to send for the Dark Mark

Muffliato- Causes a buzzing noise to surround a limited area so that those in the area can carry on a private conversation

Nox- Extinguishes light, used to douse the light created by "Lumos"

Obliviate- Makes a person "oblivious", erasing their memories of an event

Orchideous- Conjures a bunch of flowers from the user's wand

Petrificus Totalus- Total petrification; petrifies an opponent totally

Point Me The Four Point Spell; makes the user's wand act like a compass

Portus- Turns any item into a Portkey, which can then be used to transport a person or persons to another place.

Prior Incantato- Reveals to you the last spell that a wand was used to cast

Protego- Protects the user, and sends a spell back on an opponent

Quietus- Makes things quiet, used to muffle "Sonorus"

Reducio- Shrinks an item

Reducto- Blasts solid objects into pieces

Relashio- Releases something from being constrained or held

Rennervate- Was originally "ennervate", but corrected by author; means to energize or wake up

Reparo- Repairs broken items

Repello- Repels something

Repello Mugglum- Makes an area invisible to Muggles

Revelio- Causes something that is hidden to be revealed

Rictusempra- Causes a person to curl up in laughter, as if being tickled

Riddikulus- Makes a boggart assume a "ridiculous" form, thereby making it funny instead of terrifying

Salvio Hexia- Unclear; seems to strengthen other protective spells, or to deflect any hexes cast toward a specific place.

Scourgify- Used to clean dirt or other material from a surface

Sectumsempra- Causes lacerations to appear all over an opponent's body, as if they had been cut by an invisible sword

Serpensortia- Conjures a snake

Silencio- Makes the target of the spell unable to make any sound.

Sonorus- Amplifies the user's voice

Stupefy- Stupefies an opponent, or knocks them insensible temporarily

Tarantallegra- Forces an opponent's legs to dance uncontrollably

Tergeo- Scours something clean

Waddiwasi- Removes a stuck object, as in a wad of gum that is stuck in a keyhole

Wingardium Leviosa- Allows the user to make an object levitate.


	13. Appendix:Most Ancient and Noble Houses

Layout (this applies to all such entries)

House name

Founded, by whom

Sigil

Family seat + Wizengamot seats

Status

Related families

————-

Ravenclaw

Founded c.285, by Ignatius of the Ravens

Ravenclaw Manor, near present day Nantes + 6

A Palatinate (1) eagle on a medium blue field

Extant (commonly considered to have died with Helena Ravenclaw,but this is untrue)

Parkinson,Ollivander,Bones,Farley,Johnson

Of these houses,the Farleys are commonly considered the heir, but the Ollivanders contest this claim. The French House Terenion is the steward of Ravenclaw Manor.

Hufflepuff

Founded 62 BC, by Briareus the Huffler

Hufflepuff Hall, near Exeter + 5

A badger on gold and brown

Extant

Weasley,Brown,Dunbar,Shacklebolt,Vane,Robins,Midgen (2)

As per the Ministry Directive 48196 of October 10,1718, these houses share the Lordship. House Vane is the current steward of Hufflepuff Hall,where they have resided since 1794.

Gryffindor

Founded 130, by Galbart Gryffiner (3)

Gryffindor Hall, near Tunbridge Wells + 8

A roaring lion on crimson (4)

Extant

Potter,Longbottom,Abbott,Spinnet,O'Liathain,Pucey,Jones,Dumbledore,Bell,Goldstein,Lestrange,Lovegood,Dolohov

The Longbottoms are considered the current heirs of Gryffindor. House Bell is steward of Gryffindor Hall,which is exactly 2 leagues from Bell Tower (5). The Abbotts are the hereditary Lords Mayor of Godric's Hollow

Slytherin

Founded 520, by Symond Slytherin

Slytherin Hall, near Yarmouth + 5

A sleeping silver snake on Anglic green

Extinct

Gaunt,Rosier,Slughorn,Wood,Cattermole,Scamander

On July 17,1932, the Ministry declared that as Stewards of Slytherin Hall the Woods were the truest heir to that House

Peverell

Founded 775 BC, by Polypemon (6):English branch founded 352 AD, by Tæwald the Grey Knight

Peverell Manor, near Chelmsford + 10

Two Palatinate stars on a green field, over a light blue field with no device

Extinct

Avery,MacDougal,McKinnon,McLaggen,Vaisey

The McLaggens are the current stewards of Peverell Manor,and as such the Ministry recognizes them as the Peverell heirs.

Black

Founded 940, by Elfred the Blackheart (7)

12 Grimmauld Place + 6

A drawn sword on silver field

Extant

Orion Black (+) m. Walburga Flint (+)

Sirius Black m. Amelia Bones

Regulus Black

——————

1-When I say Palatinate, I refer to a loose confederation of West and Central European magical officials that preceded the ICW. It was founded about 615 AD, and lasted until the ICW was formed in 1467.

2-Yes,those Midgens. Eloise Midgen,she of the constant acne,is heiress to quite a fortune.

3-The name changed over time. It officially became Gryffindor with the accession of Elbert Gryffindor in 752.

4-Similar to the Lannister sigil,but this is Earth

5-Again,I couldn't resist. The Bells are pretty unusual,much like their cousins the Lovegoods

6-'Everygrief'. When Odysseus meets Laertes,he gives this as the name of his father

7-Originally from the Netherlands. The magical inspiration of the Till Eulenspiegel legend


	14. Appendix:Hogwarts graduation ceremonies

The typical Hogwarts graduation is spaced out over three days

Last 6 class days:no classes for seventh years

Day 1,morning:the Head Boy and Head Girl get embroidered commemorative Head Boy/Head Girl badges. The Headmaster hands the badges out in their office.

Day 1,evening:the Leaving Feast. Seventh years get a communal table,and everybody in seventh year,regardless of House,sits at that same table. They sit at that table for breakfast,lunch,and dinner on Days 1 and 2, as well as the last 3 days before Day 1. The Headmaster offers a toast to the seventh years. They also get the tastiest desserts one could possibly get at Hogwarts.

Day 2,predawn:the Lighting of the Candles. The students walk into the Forbidden Forest,each House’s seventh years following their respective seventh year prefects. The Gryffindor girl prefect bears a red candle,the Hufflepuff boy prefect bears a gold candle,the Ravenclaw boy prefect bears a blue candle, and the Slytherin girl prefect bears a silver candle. They all follow the Head Boy,Head Girl,and Keeper of the Keys. About 1 mile into the forest is a glade,180 paces ‘round,sacred to the Centaurs. This glade was cleared by the Four Founders in 972,the year after the founding of Hogwarts. In the center is a flame pit containing a single unlit candle,which the Keeper of the Keys replaces every October 1. The four prefects use their respective candles to light the unlit candle,which generates a pure white flame. This symbolizes that in the real world all witches and wizards are equal,regardless of their House.

Day 2:a day of relaxation before the Presentation of the Diplomas. One can usually find seventh years congregating in their respective common rooms,the Great Hall,the Side Chambers,the Middle Court,the Quidditch bleachers,really any large,open place at Hogwarts. During this day the first through sixth years leave Hogwarts.

Day 2,early evening:the Presentation of the Diplomas. The seventh years gather in the Great Hall,where the Headmaster presents the Certificates of Magical Education (the Hogwarts equivalent of a diploma),along with any awards for specific seventh years. The Headmaster also delivers any last-minute announcements. Afterwards,the seventh years go to the Three Broomsticks for what is essentially a graduation party.

Day 3,morning:the seventh years leave Hogwarts via the boats,a reversal of their arrival at Hogwarts to begin their first year. After they arrive at Hogsmeade,it’s up to them to determine their own transportation. Some take the Hogwarts Express,some take carriages,some take broomsticks.

 


	15. Appendix:reference books

Dragon-Breeding for Pleasure and Profit, by Joffrey Urquhart

Magical Mediterranean Water-Plants and Their Properties, by Atreus Blackwood

Saucy Tricks for Tricky Sorts, by Oliver Kettleburn

The Dream Oracle, by Cassandra Trelawney and Arnulf Khanna

Charm Your Own Cheese, by Greta Catchlove

Enchantment in Baking, by Addison and Georjaina Picquery

One Minute Feasts – It’s Magic!, by Georjaina Picquery

Flying with the Cannons, by Reginald Carter

Predicting the Unpredictable: Insulate Yourself against Shocks, by Elfstan Wood (introduction to the 1989 edition by Gilderoy Lockhart)

Broken Balls: When Fortunes Turn Foul, by Fiona Wyllt

Death Omens: What to Do When You Know the Worst Is Coming, by Neithan Blackwood

Curses and Counter-Curses (Bewitch your Friends and Befuddle your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and much, much more), by Vindictus Viridian

Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century, by Aberforth Dumbledore (writing as Gordon Travers)

Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland, by Theon Dunbar

From Egg to Inferno, A Dragon Keeper’s Guide, by Edward de Lasterie

The Handbook of Hippogriff Psychology, by Oswald Branstone

A Guide to Advanced Transfiguration, by Emeric Switch and Yslyr Crabbe

Olde and Forgotten Bewitchments and Charmes, by Absalon Dumbledore

Madcap Magic for Wacky Warlocks, by Bruce Tyler

Anthology of Eighteenth Century Charms, by Raymont Johnson and others

A Guide to Medieval Sorcery, by Charlus Greenfield

A Compendium of Common Curses and their Counter-Actions, edited by Theseus Scamander

The Dark Arts Outsmarted, by Stannis Ginart

Magical Hieroglyphs and Logograms, by Evaristus Rosier

Spellman’s Syllabary, by Graham Nyberg

Quidditch Teams of Britain and Ireland, by Owen Davies

Nature’s Nobility: A Wizarding Genealogy, by Matthias Brown

Prefects Who Gained Power, by Trevor Montague


	16. Appendix:wand lore

The following description of the powers and properties of various wand woods are taken from notes made, over a long career, by Mr Garrick Ollivander, widely considered the best wandmaker in the world. As will be seen, Mr Ollivander believes that wand wood has almost human powers of perception and preferences.

Mr Ollivander introduces his notes on wand woods thus:

Every single wand is unique and will depend for its character on the particular tree and magical creature from which it derives its materials. Moreover, each wand, from the moment it finds its ideal owner, will begin to learn from and teach its human partner. Therefore, the following must be seen as general notes on each of the wood types I like to work with best, and ought not to be taken to describe any individual wand.

Only a minority of trees can produce wand quality wood (just as a minority of humans can produce magic). It takes years of experience to tell which ones have the gift, although the job is made easier if Bowtruckles are found nesting in the leaves, as they never inhabit mundane trees. The following notes on various wand woods should be regarded very much as a starting point, for this is the study of a lifetime, and I continue to learn with every wand I make and match.  
Acacia  
A very unusual wand wood, which I have found creates tricky wands that often refuse to produce magic for any but their owner, and also withhold their best effects from all but those most gifted. This sensitivity renders them difficult to place, and I keep only a small stock for those witches or wizards of sufficient subtlety, for acacia is not suited to what is commonly known as ‘bangs-and-smells’ magic. When well-matched, an acacia wand matches any for power, though it is often underrated due to the peculiarity of its temperament.

Alder  
Alder is an unyielding wood, yet I have discovered that its ideal owner is not stubborn or obstinate, but often helpful, considerate and most likeable. Whereas most wand woods seek similarity in the characters of those they will best serve, alder is unusual in that it seems to desire a nature that is, if not precisely opposite to its own, then certainly of a markedly different type. When an alder wand is happily placed, it becomes a magnificent, loyal helpmate. Of all wand types, alder is best suited to non-verbal spell work, whence comes its reputation for being suitable only for the most advanced witches and wizards.

Apple  
Applewood wands are not made in great numbers. They are powerful and best suited to an owner of high aims and ideals, as this wood mixes poorly with Dark magic. It is said that the possessor of an apple wand will be well-loved and long-lived, and I have often noticed that customers of great personal charm find their perfect match in an applewood wand. An unusual ability to converse with other magical beings in their native tongues is often found among apple wand owners, who include the celebrated author of Merpeople: A Comprehensive Guide to Their Language and Customs, Dylan Marwood.

Ash  
The ash wand cleaves to its one true master and ought not to be passed on or gifted from the original owner, because it will lose power and skill. This tendency is extreme if the core is of unicorn. Old superstitions regarding wands rarely bear close examination, but I find that the old rhyme regarding rowan, chestnut, ash and hazel wands (rowan gossips, chestnut drones, ash is stubborn, hazel moans) contains a small nugget of truth. Those witches and wizards best suited to ash wands are not, in my experience, lightly swayed from their beliefs or purposes. However, the brash or over-confident witch or wizard, who often insists on trying wands of this prestigious wood, will be disappointed by its effects. The ideal owner may be stubborn, and will certainly be courageous, but never crass or arrogant.

Aspen  
Wand-quality aspen wood is white and fine-grained, and highly prized by all wand-makers for its stylish resemblance to ivory and its usually outstanding charmwork. The proper owner of the aspen wand is often an accomplished duellist, or destined to be so, for the aspen wand is one of those particularly suited to martial magic. An infamous and secretive eighteenth-century duelling club, which called itself The Silver Spears, was reputed to admit only those who owned aspen wands. In my experience, aspen wand owners are generally strong-minded and determined, more likely than most to be attracted by quests and new orders; this is a wand for revolutionaries.

Beech  
The true match for a beech wand will be, if young, wise beyond his or her years, and if full-grown, rich in understanding and experience. Beech wands perform very weakly for the narrow-minded and intolerant. Such wizards and witches, having obtained a beech wand without having been suitably matched (yet coveting this most desirable, richly hued and highly prized wand wood), have often presented themselves at the homes of learned wandmakers such as myself, demanding to know the reason for their handsome wand’s lack of power. When properly matched, the beech wand is capable of a subtlety and artistry rarely seen in any other wood, hence its lustrous reputation.

Blackthorn  
Blackthorn, which is a very unusual wand wood, has the reputation, in my view well-merited, of being best suited to a warrior. This does not necessarily mean that its owner practises the Dark Arts (although it is undeniable that those who do so will enjoy the blackthorn wand’s prodigious power); one finds blackthorn wands among the Aurors as well as among the denizens of Azkaban. It is a curious feature of the blackthorn bush, which sports wicked thorns, that it produces its sweetest berries after the hardest frosts, and the wands made from this wood appear to need to pass through danger or hardship with their owners to become truly bonded. Given this condition, the blackthorn wand will become as loyal and faithful a servant as one could wish.

Black Walnut  
Less common than the standard walnut wand, that of black walnut seeks a master of good instincts and powerful insight. Black walnut is a very handsome wood, but not the easiest to master. It has one pronounced quirk, which is that it is abnormally attuned to inner conflict, and loses power dramatically if its possessor practises any form of self-deception. If the witch or wizard is unable or unwilling to be honest with themselves or others, the wand often fails to perform adequately and must be matched with a new owner if it is to regain its former prowess. Paired with a sincere, self-aware owner, however, it becomes one of the most loyal and impressive wands of all, with a particular flair in all kinds of charmwork.

Cedar  
Whenever I meet one who carries a cedar wand, I find strength of character and unusual loyalty. My father, Gervaise Ollivander, used always to say, ‘you will never fool a cedar carrier,’ and I agree: the cedar wand finds its perfect home where there is a perceptive mind. I would go further than my father, however, in saying that I have never met the owner of a cedar wand whom I would care to cross, especially if harm is done to those of whom they are fond.

Cherry  
This very rare wand wood creates a wand of strange power, most highly prized by the wizarding students of the school of Mahotokoro in Japan, where those who own cherry wands have special prestige. The Western wand-purchaser should dispel from their minds any notion that the pink blossom of the living tree makes for a frivolous or merely ornamental wand, for cherry wood often makes a wand that possesses truly lethal power, whatever the core, but if teamed with dragon heartstring, the wand ought never to be teamed with a wizard without exceptional self-control and strength of mind.

Chestnut  
This is a most curious, multi-faceted wood, which varies greatly in its character depending on the wand core, and takes a great deal of colour from the personality that possesses it. The wand of chestnut is attracted to witches and wizards who are skilled tamers of magical beasts, those who possess great gifts in Herbology, and those who are natural fliers. However, when paired with dragon heartstring, it may find its best match among those who are over fond of luxury and material things, and less scrupulous than they should be about how they are obtained. Conversely, three successive heads

Elder  
The rarest wand wood of all, and reputed to be deeply unlucky, the elder wand is trickier to master than any other. It contains powerful magic, but scorns to remain with any owner who is not the superior of his or her company; it takes a remarkable wizard to keep the elder wand for any length of time. The old superstition, ‘wand of elder, never prosper,’ has its basis in this fear of the wand, but in fact, the superstition is baseless, and those foolish wandmakers who refuse to work with elder do so more because they doubt they will be able to sell their products than from fear of working with this wood. The truth is that only a highly unusual person will find their perfect match in elder, and on the rare occasion when such a pairing occurs, I take it as certain that the witch or wizard in question is marked out for a special destiny. An additional fact that I have unearthed during my long years of study is that the owners of elder wands almost always feel a powerful affinity with those chosen by rowan.

English Oak  
A wand for all seasons, this is a friend as loyal as the wizard who deserves it. Wands of English oak demand partners of strength, courage and fidelity. Less well-known is the propensity for owners of English oak wands to have powerful intuition, and, often, an affinity with the magic of the natural world, with the creatures and plants that are necessary to wizardkind for both magic and pleasure. The oak tree is called King of the Forest from the winter solstice up until the summer solstice, and its wood should only be collected during that time (holly becomes King as the days begin to shorten again, and so holly should only be gathered as the year wanes).

Fir  
My august grandfather, Gerbold Octavius Ollivander, always called wands of this wood ‘the survivor’s wand’, because he had sold it to three wizards who subsequently passed through mortal peril unscathed. There is no doubt that this wood, coming as it does from the most resilient of trees, produces wands that demand staying power and strength of purpose in their true owners, and that they are poor tools in the hands of the changeable and indecisive. Fir wands are particularly suited to Transfiguration, and favour owners of focused, strong-minded and, occasionally, intimidating demeanour.

Hawthorn  
The wandmaker Gregorovitch wrote that hawthorn ‘makes a strange, contradictory wand, as full of paradoxes as the tree that gave it birth, whose leaves and blossoms heal, and yet whose cut branches smell of death.’ While I disagree with many of Gregorovitch’s conclusions, we concur about hawthorn wands, which are complex and intriguing in their natures, just like the owners who best suit them. Hawthorn wands may be particularly suited to healing magic, but they are also adept at curses, and I have generally observed that the hawthorn wand seems most at home with a conflicted nature, or with a witch or wizard passing through a period of troubles.

Holly  
Holly is one of the rarer kinds of wand woods; traditionally considered protective, it works most happily for those who may need help overcoming a tendency to anger and impetuosity. At the same time, holly wands often choose owners who are engaged in some dangerous and often spiritual quest. Holly is one of those woods that varies most dramatically in performance depending on the wand core, and it is a notoriously difficult wood to team with phoenix feather, as the wood’s volatility conflicts strangely with the phoenix’s detachment. In the unusual event of such a pairing finding its ideal match, however, nothing and nobody should stand in their way.

Hornbeam  
My own wand is made of hornbeam, and so it is with all due modesty that I state that hornbeam selects for its life mate the talented witch or wizard with a single, pure passion, which some might call obsession (though I prefer the term ‘vision’), which will almost always be realised. Hornbeam wands adapt more quickly than almost any other to their owner’s style of magic, and will become so personalised, so quickly, that other people will find them extremely difficult to use even for the most simple of spells. Hornbeam wands likewise absorb their owner’s code of honour, whatever that might be, and will refuse to perform acts – whether for good or ill – that do not tally with their master’s principles. A particularly fine-tuned and useful wand.

 

Larch  
Strong, durable and warm in colour, larch has long been valued as an attractive and powerful wand wood. Its reputation for instilling courage and confidence in the user has ensured that demand has always outstripped supply. This much sought-after wand is, however, hard to please in the matter of ideal owners, and trickier to handle than many imagine. I find that it always creates wands of hidden talents and unexpected effects, which likewise describes the master who deserves it. It is often the case that the witch or wizard who belongs to the larch wand may never realise the full extent of their considerable talents until paired with it, but that they will then make an exceptional match.

Laurel  
It is said that a laurel wand cannot perform a dishonourable act, although in the quest for glory (a not uncommon goal for those best suited to these wands), I have known laurel wands perform powerful and sometimes lethal magic. Laurel wands are sometimes called fickle, but this is unfair. The laurel wand seems unable to tolerate laziness in a possessor, and it is in such conditions that it is most easily and willingly won away. Otherwise, it will cleave happily to its first match forever, and indeed has the unusual and engaging attribute of issuing a spontaneous lightning strike if another witch or wizard attempts to steal it.

Maple  
I have often found that those chosen by maple wands are by nature travellers and explorers; they are not stay-at-home wands, and prefer ambition in their witch or wizard, otherwise their magic grows heavy and lacklustre. Fresh challenges and regular changes of scene cause this wand to literally shine, burnishing itself as it grows, with its partner, in ability and status. This is a beautiful and desirable wood, and wand quality maple has been among the most costly for centuries. Possession of a maple wand has long been a mark of status, because of its reputation as the wand of high achievers.

Pear  
This golden-toned wood produces wands of splendid magical powers, which give of their best in the hands of the warm-hearted, the generous and the wise. Possessors of pear wands are, in my experience, usually popular and well-respected. I do not know of a single instance where a pear wand has been discovered in the possession of a Dark witch or wizard. Pear wands are among the most resilient, and I have often observed that they may still present a remarkable appearance of newness, even after many years of hard use.

Pine  
The straight-grained pine wand always chooses an independent, individual master who may be perceived as a loner, intriguing and perhaps mysterious. Pine wands enjoy being used creatively, and unlike some others, will adapt unprotestingly to new methods and spells. Many wandmakers insist that pine wands are able to detect, and perform best for, owners who are destined for long lives, and I can confirm this in as much as I have never personally known the master of a pine wand to die young. The pine wand is one of those that is most sensitive to non-verbal magic.

Poplar  
‘If you seek integrity, search first among the poplars,’ was a great maxim of my ancestor, Jason Ollivander, and my own experience of poplar wands and their owners tallies exactly with his. Here is a wand to rely upon, of consistency, strength and uniform power, always happiest when working with a witch or wizard of clear moral vision. There is a tired old joke among lesser wandmakers that no poplar wand has ever chosen a politician, but here they show their lamentable ignorance: two of the Ministry’s most accomplished Ministers for Magic, Eldritch Diggory and Evangeline Orpington, were the possessors of fine, Ollivander-made poplar wands.

Red Oak  
You will often hear the ignorant say that red oak is an infallible sign of its owner’s hot temper. In fact, the true match for a red oak wand is possessed of unusually fast reactions, making it a perfect duelling wand. Less common than English oak, I have found that its ideal master is light of touch, quick-witted and adaptable, often the creator of distinctive, trademark spells, and a good man or woman to have beside one in a fight. Red oak wands are, in my opinion, among the most handsome.

Redwood  
Wand-quality redwood is in short supply, yet constant demand, due to its reputation for bringing good fortune to its owner. As is usually the case with wandlore, the general populace have the truth back to front: redwood wands are not themselves lucky, but are strongly attracted to witches and wizards who already possess the admirable ability to fall on their feet, to make the right choice, to snatch advantage from catastrophe. The combination of such a witch or wizard with a redwood wand is always intriguing, and I generally expect to hear of exciting exploits when I send this special pairing out from my workshop.

Rowan  
Rowan wood has always been much-favoured for wands, because it is reputed to be more protective than any other, and in my experience renders all manner of defensive charms especially strong and difficult to break. It is commonly stated that no dark witch or wizard ever owned a rowan wand, and I cannot recall a single instance where one of my own rowan wands has gone on to do evil in the world. Rowan is most happily placed with the clear-headed and the pure-hearted, but this reputation for virtue ought not to fool anyone – these wands are the equal of any, often the better, and frequently out-perform others in duels.

Silver Lime  
This unusual and highly attractive wand wood was greatly in vogue in the nineteenth century. Demand outstripped supply, and unscrupulous wandmakers dyed substandard woods in an effort to fool purchasers into believing that they had purchased silver lime. The reasons for these wands’ desirability lay not only in their unusually handsome appearance, but also because they had a reputation for performing best for Seers and those skilled in Legilimency, mysterious arts both, which consequently gave the possessor of a silver lime wand considerable status. When demand was at its height, wandmaker Arturo Cephalopos claimed that the association between silver lime and clairvoyance was ‘a falsehood circulated by merchants like Gerbold Ollivander (my own grandfather), who have overstocked their workshops with silver lime and hope to shift their surplus’. But Cephalopos was a slipshod wandmaker and an ignoramus, and nobody, Seer or not, was surprised when he went out of business.

Spruce  
Unskilled wandmakers call spruce a difficult wood, but in doing so they reveal their own ignorance in this matter. It is quite true that it requires particular deftness to work with spruce, which produces wands that are ill-matched with cautious or nervous natures, and become positively dangerous in fumbling fingers. The spruce wand requires a firm hand, because it often appears to have its own ideas about what magic it ought to be called upon to produce. However, when a spruce wand meets its match – which, in my experience, is a bold spell-caster with a good sense of humour – it becomes a superb helper, intensely loyal to their owners and capable of producing particularly flamboyant and dramatic effects.

Sycamore  
The sycamore makes a multifaceted wand, eager for new experience and losing brilliance if engaged in mundane activities. It is a quirk of these handsome wands that they may combust if allowed to become ‘bored’, and many witches and wizards, settling down into middle age, are disconcerted to find their trusty wand bursting into flame in their hand as they ask it, one more time, to fetch their slippers. As may be deduced, the sycamore’s ideal owner is curious, vital and adventurous, and when paired with such an owner, it demonstrates a capacity to learn and adapt that earns it a rightful place among the world’s most highly-prized wand woods.

Vine  
The druids considered anything with a woody stem as a tree, and vine makes wands of such a special nature that I have been happy to continue their ancient tradition. Vine wands are among the less common types, and I have been intrigued to notice that their owners are nearly always those witches or wizards who seek a greater purpose, who have a vision beyond the ordinary and who frequently astound those who think they know them best. Vine wands seem strongly attracted by personalities with hidden depths, and I have found them more sensitive than any other when it comes to instantly detecting a prospective match. Reliable sources claim that these wands can emit magical effects upon the mere entrance into their room of a suitable owner, and I have twice observed the phenomenon in my own shop.

Walnut  
Highly intelligent witches and wizards ought to be offered a walnut wand for trial first, because in nine cases out of ten, the two will find in each other their ideal mate. Walnut wands are often found in the hands of magical innovators and inventors; this is a handsome wood possessed of unusual versatility and adaptability. A note of caution, however: while some woods are difficult to dominate, and may resist the performance of spells that are foreign to their natures, the walnut wand will, once subjugated, perform any task its owner desires, provided that the user is of sufficient brilliance. This makes for a truly lethal weapon in the hands of a witch or wizard of no conscience, for the wand and the wizard may feed from each other in a particularly unhealthy manner.

Willow  
Willow is an uncommon wand wood with healing power, and I have noted that the ideal owner for a willow wand often has some (usually unwarranted) insecurity, however well they may try and hide it. While many confident customers insist on trying a willow wand (attracted by their handsome appearance and well-founded reputation for enabling advanced, non-verbal magic) my willow wands have consistently selected those of greatest potential, rather than those who feel they have little to learn. It has always been a proverb in my family that he who has furthest to travel will go fastest with willow.

Yew  
Yew wands are among the rarer kinds, and their ideal matches are likewise unusual, and occasionally notorious. The wand of yew is reputed to endow its possessor with the power of life and death, which might, of course, be said of all wands; and yet yew retains a particularly dark and fearsome reputation in the spheres of duelling and all curses. However, it is untrue to say (as those unlearned in wandlore often do) that those who use yew wands are more likely to be attracted to the Dark Arts than another. The witch or wizard best suited to a yew wand might equally prove a fierce protector of others. Wands hewn from these most long-lived trees have been found in the possession of heroes quite as often as of villains. Where wizards have been buried with wands of yew, the wand generally sprouts into a tree guarding the dead owner’s grave. What is certain, in my experience, is that the yew wand never chooses either a mediocre or a timid owner.

 


End file.
